The Good, Bad, and Ugly of Plot Twists in Cinema

Have you ever felt invested in a movie’s characters and had a pretty good idea of the plot’s trajectory less than halfway through the story? How did you feel when things shifted? A main character who had won your heart got whacked; the story suddenly grew darker, leaving you disoriented; or the character you thought you knew well revealed their identity as someone entirely different. Join us on the Cup of Tea Critiques Podcast as we dive into plot twists and discuss why some work well, some fail miserably, and still others can be quite problematic.Send us a comment to let us know your favorite plot twists. For future updates, subscribe to our podcast wherever you listen, and for email updates on all things COTC, subscribe to our website using the link below:https://www.cupofteacritiques.com/subscribe ReferencesDeshler, Kira. “15 Best Movie Plot Twists of All Time.” Slash Film. (2025 March 21). https://www.slashfilm.com/1808751/best-movie-plot-twists-ranked/.Feccomandi, Andrea. (2025). “What is a Plot Twist | Use and Examples in Narrative.” Bibisco. https://bibisco.com/blog/what-is-a-plot-twist-use-and-examples-narrative/#:~:text=It%20is%20a%20surprising%20turn,they%20knew%20about%20the%20story.Hurst, J. A. “Screenwriter's Secret to Mindblowing Plot Twists.” Screenright with J. A. Hurst. [Film]. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XYFDR45I9HQ&t=507s.Looper. “The Greatest Plot Twists In Movie History.” [Film]. (May 2025). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4RkIPxOHSvE&t=987s.The Second Story. “How To Write A Smart Plot Twist.” [Film]. (May 2025). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a8qvK-kGkxo&t=245s.Writer Brandon McNulty. “Bad Plot Twists vs Good Plot Twists (Writing Advice).” [Film]. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LvIiO32hPQQ&t=111s.Writing for Screens. “Plot Twists.” [Film]. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t1OHRxseN5A&t=533s. Send us Fan MailSUBSCRIBEFooterWe hope you enjoyed listening as much as we enjoyed sharing. Join us again for another deep look with a deep brew!Stay in touch on all things COTC by subscribing on our website at cupofteacritiques.com.Follow us on Letterboxd at COTCritiques.Follow us on Facebook and Instagram at CUPOFTEACRITIQUES.For comments and questions, email us at [email protected].